SUPREME COURT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1329, 17 May 1918, Page 8 (Supplement)

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were continued yesterday afternoon, before his Honour Mr Justice Her.<man and a jury of 12. The concluding ease was that of Charles Muncey, who appeared on three charges of breaking and entering, on March 20, 1918. Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., appeared for the Crown, and Mr W. J. Hunter for the accused. Dorothy Muncey, wife of the accused, called by Mr Hunter, said that she remembered Tuesday, the 26th, well. Her husband was in bed most of the morning. In the afternoon he remained ar, home also, and Mr and Mrs William Muncey came to see them. On Thursday, March 28, her husband was home to dinner, and they afterwards went to town together, arriving home at 4.30. Violet Muncey, wife of William Muncey, also gave evidence along the same lines. The accused then gave evidence on his own behalf. He absolutely denied the charges, and outlined his movements on the days that had been mentioned. Counsel addressed the jury, and Ids Honour summed up. At 9.30 the jury retired and returned at 10.10 with a verdict of guilty against accused on two of the charges, and a verdict of not guilty on the third. His Honour, in imposing a sentence of 12 '•months' imprisonment with hard labour, said that he could not in this case extend the benefit of tiie Probation Act to the prisoner, who had aggravated his offence by going into the witnessbox and swearing what was not true. This concluded the criminal sessions of the Court.